Letter: Parking hikes for locals is premature

Judith M. FournierElkton

Published Sunday, November 27, 2005

Editor: Tourism is a big part of St. Augustine and the new parking garage should help the parking dilemma. Posting directional signs to the parking garage in key areas and offering convenient, consistent shuttle service should help ensure its success.

Most tourists will gravitate toward the parking garage first, rather than wasting valuable time fighting traffic in an unfamiliar town, when they would much rather spend their time touring historic places. Unlike Pasadena, California, and other large cities, that need to be on the "cutting edge,'' or "out for the kill,'' we are simply a uniquely small town, rich in history and friendliness, which is what attracts so many tourists.

Sadly, we locals who support the town all year long have been neglected and cast aside. We too, are a major source of revenue for the area churches, restaurants and businesses. But we're here for the duration, not just for the tour.

If the city commissioners really care about their constituents, why not leave the meters and free parking as is, at least until the garage has had a chance to operate on its own.

The city commissioners should have more faith in their vision. If they are so worried about the failure of the garage, and have to coerce people to use it by eliminating free parking and charging more for metered parking than for garage parking, then perhaps the facility wasn't needed in the first place and this is their way of ensuring their political future by covering their "bases.''